Vehicle-wheel rim.



No. 894,290. l PATENTED JULY 28, 1908. E. C. SHAW.

VEHICLE WHEEL RIM.

.A2PL1oAT1oL. FILED IBB. 20. 1907.

WITNESSES: K wm'- 2 @MM y 9 `UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE.

EDWIN COUPLAND SHAW, OF AhRON, OHIO, ASSIGXOR TO B. F. GOODRICH COMPANY,Cr AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VEHICLE-WHEEL RIM.

No. 894,290. Specification of Letters Patent. l Patented July y28, 1908.Application led February 20, 1907. Serial No. 358,459.

To all whom it may concern.: y of such rims upon modern automobiles andBe' it known that I, Enwix ("OUPLAND upon vehicles intended for heavYtraction SHAW, a citizen of thc United States, residing work. I havetherefore devised and believe in the city of Akron, county of Summit,and to be new the structure hereinafter de- State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and scribed. f useful Improvementsin'r\'ehicle-WheelRims,Iteferring to the drawings, Elfigure -1 is a of which the following is aspecification, refperspective view of my device showing a secerencebeing had to the accompanying drawtion of the tire and my improved meansfor ings, which form a part thereof. attaching the. tire to the rim.Fig. 2 is a My invention relates to that class of vecross-sectionshowing the means for locking hicle wheelrims adapted for use with tiresof the detachable flange in lace. Fig, 3 is a resilient materials, andmore particularly to side view of the tire and r1m showing the. derimsintended for use with tires which can tails of construction. Fig. 4 is aperspective be applied and detached at will. view of the terminals ofthe split ring, the

'l` le. form of rim commonly used comprises lugs thereon and the. slotin the rim designed 70 a channel-iron formed to provide a seat for toreceive said lugs. Fig. 5 is a plan view 0i thetire, its edges beingprovided with flanges a section of the rim showing the slot for the/ ofvarying forms according to the style of the admission of the lugs andthe position of the tire intended to be used. These flanges may lugs inthe slot. be straight, outwardly curved, or may be of I have shown aparticular form of my imthe form used with elencher tires, being'upprovcd rim designed for use with clencher wardt and inwardly turnedto grasp and tires, but it will be obvious to those skilled in holdbeads formed upon the tire. These tire the art that the form of theqrimflange can be flanges are u sually made integral with thc varied at willto permit the use of any style. rim,` in which case the circumferentialdisof tire. 8O tance about the extremity of the [langes is In Fig. 1, 1is the. folly of the wheel to considerably greater than the distanceabout which is affixed the rim or channel-iron 2. the portion 'of the.channel-iron against Formed upon or permanently fixed to this which thetire seat.` and to apply the tire ol rim is the tire Vflange. 3. At itsother edge the tire-casing it must be greatly stretched the rim isextended some distance laterally and materials must be used which arecapaand the part projecting beyond the telly ble of such stretching; orthe length of the. preferably has a slight tendency downtire must bemade greater thanthe circumwardly toward the hub of the wheel. Thisference of the channel-iron requires and some edge termiiiates in theupturned lflange 4 means devised for subsequent tightening. extendingthe entire length of the rim, being n my improved rim one tire flange.is designed to form a. scat for the removable formed upon a detachabletransversely split ring 5 and to secure it from lateral displacering,means being provided for locking said ment. 'lhe form of this portion ofthe rim ring to the lwi'ipheryY of the rim. may of course be variedconsiderably; for

'lhe object of my invention is to provide a example, it may have adownwardly dis- 95 rim which will facilitate the attachment and 'posedoffset instead of the inclined part, but removal of the tires .andprevent stretchingthe essential feature is that the upper edge of andconsequentdamage to the materials of the retaining flange. must be. on alevel composing theni, difficulties necessarily inwith or below thesurface of the main portion cident to the use ofthe present styles ofrim. of the channel-iron in order to permit the A further object of myinvention is to protire to be slipped over it without stretching. vide arim which will permit the use of non- The shape of the retaining flange,likewise extensible or non-stretchable tires. immaterial, except thatthc flange. or its Iam aware that wheel rims have been conequivalentmust act as a seat. for the restructed with detachable tirefianges, butthe movable ring and secure it from laterally methods of and means forsecuringthe deoutward movement.

taehable fianges to the rims have been un- The ring 5 is transverselysplit at one satisfactory with regard both to ease of appoint, itsterminals being adapted to 4fit plication and to security of attachment;so closely against one another. It comprises unsatisfactory, infact, asto prevent the use a tire flange 6 and abase portion which is l1(`thelng a hooklfor/ the purposeshereinafter. lS preferably has its pos-"shown. The lub.. terior edge sliglilly` beveled to enable it to be moreeasily inserted in theslot. The slot 9 has width equal to/the commonwidth of th se two lugs and a/length equal .to their co bined length,exclusive of the projection `formed upon the hooked lug. The faces fthese lugs adjoining the wheel felly are provided with a continuouslongitudinal grpove adapted to engage with the hook or flange at theextremity of the locking clamplO.; This locking clamp is prefer'- ablyshaped to fit closely againstithe felly and is provided at its lowerextremity with some means fo attaching it thereto., This attachment malybe in'ade in any suitable .manner for example, the extremity of the`clamp may be'jdrilled to receive a pin, bolt or thumb-screw adapted tobe forced into the wheel folly. Inv the drawings, however, I have showna form which prefer to use with pneumatic tires, in which the lowerextremity of this clampis provided with a fork or bifurcation 16 ofsuitable size-to embrace the stern of the inllating valve. The

A-usual form of dust-cap 17 can then be screwed up against the fork,securing it firmly 'in position. lf this structure is used the center ofthe rim slot must be directly opposite the hole in the rim and fellydesigned for the admission of the valve stem.

I find it of great assistance in accurately adjusting the removable ringto provide the channel-iron with two or more very small dowels 18registering with corresponding depressions in the ring. F or thispurpose a small round' headed rivet driven through the channel-ironanswers the purpose admirably, a corresponding depression being cast orpunched in the ring.

The operation of my device is as follows: To attach a tire the splitring is removed, the tire applied to the rim and iliade to engagecloselyr with the permanent tire flange about the entire periphery ofthe wheel. The split ring is then ap ilied, the lug 7 being hooked intothe slot, the locking clamp being withdrawn. The ring is then sprunginto place1 about the wheel, its base being fitted against the straightVflange 4, the lug S entering the unoccupied portion of the slot. Thehook ol' the locking clamp is then inserted in'` the groove of the lugs,forced back into position against the felly and locked there by means ofthe dust-ca whereupon the tire is solidly attached to tie rim. Theseating flange 4 prevents lateral displacement of the'split ring. 'Thelugs 7 and 8 prevent any creeping or movement `of the ring about theperiphery of thel rim, and the hook upon the lug 7 and the locking clamp10 'engaged Within the groove upon the lugs hold the terminals Of thering firmly against the channel-iron.

To remove the vtire the .mode of operation is reversed. The dust-cap isremoved, the locking clamp is pulled outward, disengaging its hook fromthe grooves in the lugs, whereupon the plain lug can be easily sprungout'from the slot and the whole ring and the tire removed. lf desiredboth tire flanges may be made detachable bys'imply duplicatingtheremovable split ring and-the attaching means. In practicehowever'such a construction is found to be unnecessary and undesirable.Again, the removable ring may be constructed in two or more parts b vprovidingr similar locking means at its various joints and withunusually heavy vehicles this may be found advantageous.

In adjusting the ring it is sometimes found difficult to bring theterminals together' in order to insert the lain lug in the slot. 'Toenable this to be (lbne more easily I prefer t-o use the jointed lever11, the operation of which is as follows: The hooked lug is inserted inthe slot, the ring sprung into place about the rim, the pin 12 insertedin theholc 1S drilled inthe split ring, the pin 14v inserted in the hole15 drilledV in the other terminal of the ring, when, by means of thelever'y the terminals can be made to approach closely, allowing theplain .lug to be forced into the slot. .Y

ln practice the plain lug sometimes binds within the slot, even afterthe clamp, has been removed, and to enable this terminal of the splitring to be forced upward, l provide in the split ring near thel terminalbearing the plain lug a small slot or channel' if), the edge of whichprojects slightly above the flange 4. The end of the lever 1 l or ascrew drivel' or other suitable tool can be inserted l in this slot andthe` ring terminal easily pried upward. l v

llaving described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a vehicle Wheel rim the combination of a channel-iron, a slot insaid channel-iron, a removable flange mounted upon a transverselysplit'ring carrying lugs adapted to `lit within said slot in normaltension resistingr engagement with the end walls thereof, and a lockingclam adapted to engage said lugs andto hold t 1cm Within said slot.

2. In a vehicle wheel rim the combination of a chanrwl-iron, a permanentf lalnge mounted thereon,l a removable flange mounted upon atransversely split ring, lugs upon the terminals of said ring adapted tofit Within a slot Within said channel-iron, and a locking clamp 'having.one terminal formed to engage Within a groove in said lu s and itsvflange upon said channel-iron, a plain lug upon one terminal of saidsplit ring, and a hooked lug upon the other terminal, said lugs adaptedto fit vvithin a slot in said channel-iron, and a locking clamp havingat one end a hook for en agement With a groove in said lugs, and at tIieother end means for attacliment to the Wheel felly. A

4. In a vehicle Wheel rim means for retaining a removable flange upon achanneliron, comprising lugs at the terminals oflsaid removable ange, aslot in the channeLiron adapted to receive said lugs, and a locking clamconstructed to'engage said lugs and the W ieel felly to secure themWithin said slot and to the felly of the Wheel,

5. In a vehicle Wheel rim means for attaching a removable flange to achannel-iron, comprising a retaining flange upon said channel-iron, lugsat the terminals of said removl able flange, a slot in said channel-ironadapted to receive said lugs and a locking clamp having one terminaladapted to engage in a groove in said lugs, its other terminal engagingwith the wheel felly.

In a vehicle wheel rim, the combination of a channel-iron having apermanent flange thereon, a removable flange mounted upon a transverselysplit ring, lugs upon said split ring adapted to fit Within a slot inthe channel-iron, a retaining flange upon said channel-iron adapted tosecure the removable flange against lateral displacement, a groove iiisaid lugs, and a locking iece adapted to engage with said groove anrfjtobe secured to the wheel felly.A

7` In a vehicle wheel rim, means for lockinga removable flange to achannel-iron,

v comprising a hooked lug upon one terminal of said flange, and a plainlug at the other terminal ofv said flange, a slot 1n the channel-ironadapted to receive said lugs, and a locking piece adapted to engage agroove in said lugs and to be secured to the wheel felly. n

. 8. In a twopart Vehicle Wheel rim, the

combination of a channel-iron having aperinanent lflange thereon, asecond fiange mounted upon a transverselyT s lit ring, downwardlyextending lugs upon t ie base of the terminals of said ring, acontinuous groove in the inner faces of said lugs, and a locking clamphaving a hook at one terminal adapted to engage said groove, and itsother terminal provided with means for attachnient to the Wheel felly.

9. Means for locking the segments of a detachable tire flange to thechannel-iron of a veliiclewheel rim, comprising lugs upon the terminalsof said segments, slots in the channel-iron adapted to receive said lugsand a locking clamp adapted to engage a groove in said lugs and besecured to the wheel felly.

10. In a two-part rim for vehicle Wheels the combination of achannel-iron 2, a permanent tire flange 3, a tire flange mounted upon asplit ring 5, a hooked Ing 7, and a plain lug 8 mounted upon the undersurface of the ring terminals, a slot 9 in the said channel-iron, alocking clamp 10, provided at one end with a hook adapted to engage in agroove in said lugs, and at the other With means for attachment to theWheel felly.

11. In a Wheel rim-a tire seating member, a slot in said member, asplitl removable tire retaining flange carrying lugs at its ends adaptedto fit Within said slot, one of said lugs having its posterior faceprovided with an under-cut recess forming a hook, the length of the slotbeing e ual to the combined length of the lugs at t e base of theunder-cut recess.

12. In a wheel rim a tire seating member, a slot in said member, a splitremovable tire retaining flange carrying lugs at its'ends, y

said lugs adapted to enter said slot and completely fill the same.

13. In a wheel rim a tire seating member, a slot in said member, a splitremovable tire retaining flange carrying lugs at its ends, the combinedlengt-li of said lugs being equal to the length of tlie slot. p

EDWIN COUPLAND SHAW. Witnesses:

C. C. Goonnicii, W. K. MEANS.

